Independent guide. Check your council's website for your exact bill. Data last verified April 2026.
£counciltaxcost.com
2026/27 council tax year

How much is council tax in the UK?

Independent guide to the bands (A to H, plus I in Wales), every discount you can claim, and how to challenge a wrong band. Updated for the April 2026 rises.

Estimate your billSee every discount
+4.9% average rise this year8 bands (A to H)£1,567 gap between cheapest and dearest English council
England Band D average2026/27
£2,392
per year · approx £199 per month
Increase on 2025/26
+£111
Min Band D in England
£971
Max Band D in England
£2,538
Single person discount
−25%

Average figure based on Department of Levelling Up and MHCLG council tax statistics for 2026/27.

Quick answer

Plain English

Council tax is a local-government charge on every household in England, Scotland and Wales. It typically costs between £1,595 and £4,784 a year depending on which band your property is in (A to H) and which council you live in. The Band D average for England in 2026/27 is £2,392. Single occupiers get 25 per cent off. Full-time students pay nothing. Roughly one in twenty homes is in the wrong band, so it is worth checking yours.

Section 01

Council tax by band

Bands run from A (lowest) to H (highest) in England, set on what your home was worth on 1 April 1991. Below are typical 2026/27 ranges for England.

Bands explained
Band1991 valuationTypical annualApprox monthlyRatio to Band D
AUp to £40,000£1,595£1336/9
B£40,001 – £52,000£1,861£1557/9
C£52,001 – £68,000£2,127£1778/9
D£68,001 – £88,000£2,392£1999/9
E£88,001 – £120,000£2,924£24411/9
F£120,001 – £160,000£3,455£28813/9
G£160,001 – £320,000£3,987£33215/9
HOver £320,000£4,784£39918/9

Typical figures use the England Band D average (£2,392) and statutory band ratios. Your actual bill depends on which council issues it. For an exact figure, visit the GOV.UK council tax band lookup.

Section 02

Where you live makes a £1,567 difference

For an identical Band D property, the cheapest English council (Westminster) charges £971 and the dearest (Rutland) charges £2,538. Inner-London boroughs dominate the cheapest list. Rural unitary authorities tend to top the dearest list.

Top 5 cheapest, England

Lowest band D
  1. 1
    Westminster
    London
    £971
  2. 2
    Wandsworth
    London
    £980
  3. 3
    City of London
    London
    £1,128
  4. 4
    Hammersmith and Fulham
    London
    £1,304
  5. 5
    Tower Hamlets
    London
    £1,581

Top 5 most expensive, England

Highest band D
  1. 1
    Rutland
    East Midlands
    £2,538
  2. 2
    Nottingham
    East Midlands
    £2,521
  3. 3
    Dorset
    South West
    £2,505
  4. 4
    Lewes
    South East
    £2,482
  5. 5
    North Northamptonshire
    East Midlands
    £2,477
Full regional comparison
Section 03

Discounts most households miss

Every council operates the same statutory discounts. Many are opt-in and have to be claimed, they are not applied automatically.

All discounts and exemptions

Single person discount

25% off

If you are the only adult in the property, you get a quarter off your bill. Around 8 million households claim this. Apply through your council, it usually takes a few minutes.

Full-student household

100% exempt

If everyone in the property is a full-time student, you pay nothing. The household needs an exemption certificate from the university or college.

Council Tax Reduction

Up to 100% off

A means-tested scheme run by every council, sometimes called council tax support. People on low incomes, Universal Credit or pension-age benefits can get a substantial reduction.

Disabled person reduction

Drop one band

If a disabled person needs an extra room, an extra bathroom, or wheelchair space inside the property, your bill is calculated as if you were one band lower.

Severe mental impairment

Disregarded

Someone with a permanent severe mental impairment (dementia, stroke, severe learning disability) is disregarded for council tax. Widely under-claimed.

Second home premium

Watch out

From April 2025, councils can charge an extra 100% on second homes. Many English councils now apply this premium. Make sure your property is correctly classified.

Section 04

Around 27 per cent of band challenges succeed

Of the 39,590 council tax band cases resolved by the Valuation Office Agency in 2023/24, 10,530 led to a lower band. That is roughly one in four. Successful challenges trigger a refund for every year you overpaid, with no time limit. The risk: the VOA can also move you up a band. It is rare (about 0.08 per cent of cases) but worth knowing.

How to challenge your band
Cases resolved 2023/24
39,590
Moved to lower band
10,530
Moved to higher band
0.08%
Section 05

Where your money goes

Council tax funds about a quarter of local-government spending, with the rest coming from business rates and central-government grants. Adult and children's social care is the biggest line on most councils' books.

Full service breakdown
Adult and children's social care50%
Education and schools (precept-adjacent)15%
Police and fire precepts15%
Waste, recycling, environment10%
Highways and transport8%
Everything else2%

Indicative split for an English upper-tier authority. Exact proportions vary by council, year and precept structure.

Section 06

Frequently asked questions

How much is council tax per month?
The Band D average in England for 2026/27 is around £2,392 a year. Spread over the standard 10-month schedule, that is roughly £239 a month. Spread over 12 months, it is about £199 a month. Most councils default to 10 months, but you can ask to switch to 12 to make budgeting easier.
Do I pay council tax if I live alone?
Yes, but you get a 25 per cent single person discount. Around 8 million households in England qualify. The discount is not applied automatically, you have to claim it through your council. Once granted, it stays in place until your circumstances change.
What council tax band am I in?
Look up your address on the official Valuation Office Agency tool at gov.uk/council-tax-bands. Bands run from A (lowest) to H (highest) in England and Scotland, and A to I in Wales. The band was set based on what your property was worth on 1 April 1991 in England and Scotland, or 1 April 2003 in Wales.
Are students exempt from council tax?
If everyone living in the property is a full-time student, the household pays nothing. Full-time means at least 21 hours a week of study for 24 weeks or more. In a mixed household, students are disregarded, which often triggers a 25 per cent single person discount for the non-student.
Is council tax going up in 2026?
Yes. The average rise across English councils for 2026/27 is around 4.9 per cent, adding roughly £111 to a Band D bill. Councils can normally raise by up to 4.99 per cent without a local referendum. A handful of councils have been granted permission to raise by more than that.
What happens if I cannot pay council tax?
Contact your council immediately. Do not ignore the bill. Most councils will agree a revised payment plan. If you fall behind without contacting them, you will receive a reminder, then a final notice, then a court summons with extra costs added. After a liability order, the council can use enforcement agents or deduct from your wages or benefits.

More UK household costs

Council tax is one of several mandatory UK household costs. See also tvlicencecost.com for the £169.50 TV licence, howmuchiscartax.com for vehicle excise duty, and stampdutyrate.com for property purchase tax.